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Jul 30, 2014 at 9:19 AM

Mayor Hales Dedicates Funds to Helping Human Trafficking Survivors

WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2014 — Mayor Charlie Hales and commissioners at Wednesday’s City Council meeting approved a $297,000 grant to support Janus Youth Programs’ shelter beds, treatment and case management services for human trafficking victims between 18 and 25 years old.

“The program saves women’s lives,” Hales said. “And it helps make the community safer by removing gangs’ revenue source.”

With this grant approval, Portland Police have garnered nearly $1 million to support human trafficking survivors through partnerships with service organizations.

Humans have become the second-most lucrative commodity on the black market behind drugs, the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office reports. Gangs and other criminal organizations prefer humans because they’re a reusable resource; they can be resold.

That horrific dehumanization most frequently affects teenagers, both girls and boys, and is becoming more common in Portland because of the city’s position on Interstate 5 and the airport. Traffickers recruit girls who are 12 to 14 years old, spanning socioeconomic status, education level, and race, according to the district attorney.

Portland Police Sgt. Mike Geiger on Wednesday spoke in support of the funding. His highlighted the tremendous need to support safe places for trauma victims.

Transcript of Sgt. Geiger's remarks at Council

"This has been a long fight, a difficult one. We’ve been engaged in it for a few years now, and I think that much of what we’ve been trying to come to grips with is how does that happen here and what’s going on with our children and our community.

Human trafficking is becoming one of the fastest growing criminal enterprises in the world today. We’ve been trying to figure out how we strike a balance between accountability, between law enforcement, and the needs of the child — the needs of the vulnerable and the violated.

What this funding shows me is confirmation that the city of Portland has chosen to take a stand on behalf of the vulnerable, and on behalf of the violated. And I would say that support for law enforcement and support for the victims are not mutually exclusive. What we have come to learn is the way in which we view an individual dictates the way we respond to that individual. So, by providing advocacy resources and a safe place to stay, we’re telling them that the overriding goal is the restoration, and their removal from the life of exploitation and victimization to one of health and safety and a positive future. Those things can’t be accomplished absent the support services we brought to bear on their behalf.

Young people, whether they are teenagers or people in their twenties or whoever they are, they desire safety, and they desire security, and they need first and foremost to have their emotional and physical needs met before we begin to address the other facts. I think this is what this funding does, what we have seen is a dramatic increase in our ability to prosecute cases both at the state and federal level. It has been remarkable.

What I would submit, we would have never been able to accomplish that absent the support from the people like Janus Youth Programs and the Sexual Assault Resource Center. What that is, that has done, is allowed them to rebuild their emotional state, to gain a sense of security and empowerment, and to recognize finally there is a degree of victimization that they had not faced before, which empowers them to give us the information we need in order to put together a comprehensive case that brings accountability.

We are accomplishing both, and I am very happy about that because it speaks to what we think about these young people. It speaks to the priority that we have here in our community. That we want the best for them and for them to be free of exploitation. To me, that speaks to the character of our department and it speaks to the character of this council, and your support is just very much appreciated. So, thank you."

Sgt. Geiger's written statement

“For the last several years Portland has taken a leading role in the fight against human trafficking and child exploitation. We have learned this type of exploitation is difficult to identify, and even more difficult to prosecute. Much has been learned, and many relationships have been developed. The city of Portland has dedicated police resources to this fight and has made it a priority at all levels. The city has partnered with local and federal prosecutors and has taken part in many educational and awareness opportunities. Of even more importance, the city of Portland has come to recognize that if there is to be accountability, we must first meet some very basic necessities. Victims of sexual trauma very much need two things: safety and someone to care for them.

Absent a safe place, trauma victims will return to their exploiter and will likely find themselves in an even more dangerous circumstance. While it is likely they will not at first recognize safety is a priority, they will if the doors remain open. Janus Youth Program has a long record of working with vulnerable children, and has become a vital component in ensuring there is a safe place for victims. Janus is dedicated to long-term care, recognizing that there is no short-term solution.

Beyond shelter services, trauma victims need to be able to talk to a caring adult who will not judge or condemn. The Sexual Assault Resource Center provides confidential support services and advocacy. They have in many circumstances become the lifeline to children who have been left to their own devices. The relationships they maintain are what have allowed so many victims to reach a place of healing. That in turn has increased their ability to help children out of a life of exploitation.

Support from the city has allowed the Resource Center to serve more children, and even develop a response to those between the ages of 18 and 25. This is in recognition that many children identified prior to 18 continue to need help. Support from Janus will make certain we have long term shelter for those in the most need.”

Firefighters with Station 2, Truck 2 on Tuesday evening were at Columbia Ridge Apartments for the Wilkes neighborhood National Night Out event, one of about 100 citywide. Since 1983, on the second Tuesday in August residents nationwide gather in their neighborhoods to demonstrate their commitment to safety and community. Law enforcement and emergency services attend events in their neighborhoods.

“This crew responds to this complex a few times a year,” Kaiel said. “It’s good for residents to see these guys outside of a crisis. And it’s good for the crew to see residents in a fun environment.”

Mayor Charlie Hales attended several National Night Out events Tuesday to talk with residents in an informal setting, sharing food, meeting kids, and hearing about the neighborhood.

“These events are a fantastic way to get people out into their neighborhoods,” Hales said. “A united neighborhood strengthens the fabric of community — critical for safety and prosperity.”

At Wilkes in East Portland, kids clamored in and out of a fire truck, handing their cellphones to firefighter Matt Fullerton to snap a photo.

In a Cully neighborhood apartment complex, Clara Vista Apartments, kids took over a police car, finding the button for the lights, the PA system, and — to the panic of police officers — the radio.

“No emergency,” Portland Police Officer Graham said into this chest radio, “just some kids.” He turned to the car: “OK, guys, time to get out.”

At Binford Condominium Association’s event in Northeast Portland, former State Sen. Avel Gordly chatted with the mayor and First Lady over bratwurst and fruit. Used books were out for the taking, and kids ran around the expansive yard, pausing to smack a piñata and feed a parrot.

In South Burlingame Park, the band Still Kickin’ — comprised of friends who’ve been jamming for nine years — played as children explored a fire engine, snatching stickers from firefighters Shannon Ellison and Josh Clemmer.

“National Night Out celebrates neighborhood safety and unity,” Hales said. “Look around — it’s working. People are having fun, hanging out. What a great, worthwhile event.”

Aug 14, 2014 at 11:31 AM

American Mayors Pledge To Fight Income Inequality, Low Wages

TUESDAY, AUG. 12, 2014, NEW YORK CITY – Portland Mayor Charlie Hales cited a report released Monday that underscores a crisis of the economic recovery: higher-paying jobs lost in the Great Recession are being replaced with lower-paying jobs.

“It’s not just Portland, it’s everywhere,” Hales said from a meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Cities of Opportunity meeting in New York City. “We are working to retain jobs, and to draw jobs, to Portland, but this report outlines the difficulty. Overlay this with our focus on equity and gentrification, and you can see how complicated the situation is.”

Portland is not immune to the seismic shifts in the economy, Hales said, despite the recovery that has seen better than 3 percent job growth here, and some of the highest percentages of occupied office space in the nation.

Mayors on hand for the conference in New York include Bill de Blasio of New York; Martin Walsh of Boston; Michael Nutter of Philadelphia; Eric Garcetti of Los Angeles; Mike Rawlings of Dallas, Texas; and Annise Parker of Houston, Texas.

Wage Gap Widens From Recession as Income Inequality Grows

TUESDAY, AUG. 12, 2014, NEW YORK CITY – Jobs gained during the economic recovery from the Great Recession pay an average 23 percent less than the jobs lost during the recession, according to a new report released Monday by The U.S. Conference of Mayors.

“It’s not just Portland, it’s everywhere,” said Portland Mayor Charlie Hales, who was in New York for the U.S. Conference of Mayors Cities of Opportunity meeting. “We are working to retain jobs, and to draw jobs, to Portland, but this report outlines the difficulty. Overlay this with our focus on equity and gentrification, and you can see how complicated the situation is.”

The annual wage in sectors where jobs were lost during the downturn was $61,637, but new jobs gained through the second quarter of 2014 showed average wages of only $47,171. This wage gap represents $93 billion in lost wages.

Under a similar analysis conducted by the Conference of Mayors during the 2001-02 recession, the wage gap was only 12 percent compared to the current 23 percent -- meaning the wage gap has nearly doubled from one recession to the next.

“There’s a ‘walling off’ of the American Dream from a growing number of Americans,” Hales said. “Massive income inequality means the American Dream is in trouble.”

Prepared for the Conference of Mayors by IHS, the report was released in conjunction with the inaugural meeting of the USCM Cities of Opportunity Task Force in New York City. The Task Force, led by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Boston Mayor Martin Walsh, was established at the Conference’s Annual Meeting in June to identify strategies for addressing income inequality, promoting economic mobility and creating jobs in America’s cities.

“While the economy is picking up steam, income inequality and wage gaps are an alarming trend that must be addressed,” said U.S. Conference of Mayors President Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson.

“This Task Force will recommend both national and local policies that will help to give everyone opportunity. We cannot put our heads in the sand on these issues,” Johnson said. “The nation’s mayors have an obligation to do what we can to address issues of inequality in this country while Washington languishes in dysfunction.”

The report also shows the gap between low- and higher-income households is growing and will continue into the foreseeable future. In 2012, the latest year for which figures are available, 261 (73 percent) out of 357 metros had a larger share of poorer households (those making less than $35,000 per year), than upper income households of above $75,000.

The report forecasts that middle-income households will continue to fall behind as higher income levels capture a greater share of income gains. In 2014 median household income is projected to increase by 2.5 percent in nominal dollars, and then by 3.8 percent per year from 2015 through 2017. But average (mean) income is expected to rise faster, 2.7 percent in 2014 and by 4.1 percent through 2017. Faster growth in mean income compared to median income demonstrates growing income inequality.

Adjusted for inflation, average household income fell 3 percent, while median income fell 5.5 percent from 2005-12, according to the report.

“The inequality crisis facing our cities is a threat to our fundamental American values. Reducing income inequality and ensuring opportunity for all is nothing less than the challenge of our times. As mayors, we are on the front lines and we must act now,” de Blasio said. “The Cities of Opportunity Task Force is bringing mayors from all corners of the country together to work together and leverage the power of municipal governments to advance a national, common equity agenda, and to also encourage action on a federal level.”

Boston Mayor Martin Walsh added, “Recognizing that each city has both universal and unique challenges, we identified three areas in which many of us believe there can be short-term, meaningful impact. In addition to this work we are committing to do together, we will all continue to work in our respective cities on disparity across all policy areas. In our conversations to date, we have identified additional factors related to housing, transportation, financial empowerment and a whole host of other issues that we plan to address moving forward. This is a long-term commitment for all of us, to effect lasting change in the lives of real people in our cities.”

Most notably, the report found that, since 1975, the increasing share of income earned by the highest quintile – the 20 percent of households with the highest incomes – rose from 43.6 percent in 1975 to 51 percent in 2012. Most of that gain occurred in the highest 5 percent of incomes, which rose from 16.5 percent in 1975 to 22.3 percent in 2012, a gain of $490 billion in 2012 income.

The lowest two quintiles, or 40 percent of households, received just 6.6 percent of all US income gains since 2005, while the share of total income gains from the top 20 percent was 60.6 percent and the top 5 percent received 27.6 percent.

The report concludes that according to IHS economic models, the drift toward income inequality will persist in the coming years as it is a structural feature of the 21st Century economy.

“Unless policies are developed to mitigate these trends, income inequality will only grow larger in the future,” said Jim Diffley, director of US Regional Economics at HIS and author of the report.

Participants

More than 30 mayors from cities across the country attended the first meeting of the USCM Cities of Opportunity Task Force. The list includes:

Aug 21, 2014 at 3:22 PM

TigerLogic moves from California to Portland

MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2015 — TigerLogic, an online engagement provider, is moving to Portland from Irvine, Calif., the Portland Business Journal reports. READ the full story.

The company in 2013 purchased the Portland-based social media engagement tool Postano, and will be moving into its offices. TigerLogic has 60 employees, including 30 involved in the Postano brand and 25 at the company's European offices.

Looptworks, Portland benefit corporation, profiled on NBC News

MONDAY, MAY 25, 2015 — Looptworks, a Portland company that repurposes old Southwest Airlines leather seats into limited-edition goods, was profiled this week on a national NBC Nightly News program. Here's the news clip.

Wall Street Journal highlights trend in company locations

THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015 — A Wall Street Journal story highlights a trend that a City Observatory report detailed this year: Large companies are moving back into city centers. Downtown Portland has welcomed two transplants from Hillsboro -- Lattice Semiconductor and Zapproved. The draw of walkable neighborhoods and easy access to amenities is proving a boon for Portland's economy, making Portland a hub for diverse industries. This is an exciting time for Portland!

Zapproved moves from Hillsboro to downtown Portland

TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2015 — Zapproved, a once-small start-up company based in Hillsboro, has moved to downtown Portland.

The company, founded in 2008, earlier this year announced $20 million in investment. It plans to double its 50 employees. And following that success, they planned a move to Portland.

"This is an innovative company that fits in perfectly with Portland's tech culture," Mayor Charlie Hales said. "And they're following the recent trend of companies moving out of the suburbs and into the city center — a great trend for Portland. Welcome, Zapproved!"

Under Armour Plans Move to Portland

"The company on Monday confirmed it plans to grow its footwear and innovation operations in Portland. The confirmation followed Business Journal inquiries last week about the sale of a nearly 70,000-square-foot former YMCA immediately south of downtown.

"'As Under Armour continues its global expansion, Portland has emerged as a strategic hub for the brand, specifically in footwear and innovation,' the company said in a statement. 'We are excited to grow our footprint in the city.'"

PDC Announces First Latino Start-Up Weekend in Portland

MARCH 24, 2015 — Alpfa Portland and Hispanicpros will host a great opportunity to engage with Latino entrepreneurs.

On Thursday, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., a panel of successful Latino entrepreneurs from Oregon will talk about their journeys and how they've tackled challenges of starting a business. The panel includes Marcelino Alvarez, CEO and founder of the very cool Uncorked Studios, which Mayor Charlie Hales toured last month.

MARCH 23, 2015 — Aptly timed for Women's History Month, Portland is happy to welcome Bend-based 10 Barrel Brewing, which opened its first Portland location in the Pearl (1411 NW Flanders St). Its head brewer? Whitney Burnside -- the company’s AND the city’s first female head brewer. We're excited to taste her brews!

MARCH 17, 2015 — This morning Mayor Charlie Hales joined current and future leaders at the Portland Workforce Alliance Breakfast to talk about the human resources that Portland has -- its students -- and how employers can help with their education, cultivating them into future workers.

To students he said, "Portland's future and your future are not two things. They are one and the same."

He encouraged businesses to get involved with students: "They're listening, and we can all help guide them to a bright future," he said. Case in point: A Roosevelt High School student who participated in a dialogue about police and race last year attended the breakfast. She said that she was trying to decide whether she should pursue a career as a lawyer or a police detective. After Mayor Hales called on Roosevelt students to get involved with the city in order to change it, she decided to be a police detective.

"Hopworks is an example of a great product -- excellent craft brews and a go-to IPA -- doing great things for its community," Mayor Charlie Hales said. "The company is a steward of the environment, using organic ingredients and serving locally sourced food at its pub, and also contributes a portion of its sales to nonprofits."

At the beginning of the year, Portland had a staggering 117 benefit corporations. The Mayor's Office is working with them to identify the best way to support these companies for being good neighbors.

The Oregonian: Wacom Joins Tech Stampede to Portland

THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015 — The Oregonian reports that Wacom, a Japanese digital graphics company, plans to move its U.S. headquarters from Vancouver to Northwest Portland next year, leasing three floors in a nine-story building in the Pearl District. Read the full story.

The company adds to the burgeoning tech presence in Portland, and plans to double its number of employees once it moves to Portland. Currently the company employs 160 people in Vancouver; it plans to expand to about 300 in three years.

WorkSystems Highlighted by White House Tech Hire Initiative

MARCH 9, 2015 — Exciting news from Worksystems, Inc., a valuable partner in Mayor Charlie Hales' economic opportunity initiatives: President Obama highlighted Worksystems' Code Oregon as one of 20 successful technology training programs that help more Americans train and connect to IT jobs. The president's ‪#‎TechHire‬ initiative is a public-private partnership with over 300 employers aimed at following Worksystems' lead.

Partnering with JP Morgan Chase to recruit tech mentors to offer additional support to under-served communities;

Cross-walking community college and university curriculum with on-line badges;

Providing transferrable college credit to 60 students who complete the accelerated Code Oregon pathway model.

"I'm proud an organization that has been so important in helping all Portlanders access economic opportunity was recognized by the president," Mayor Hales said. "Worksystems' innovation and ambition deserves it."

City Observatory Report: City Centers' Growth Outpacing Suburbs

FEBRUARY 24, 2015 — The New York Times covers the City Observatory report by Portland economist Joe Cortright. The report finds that job growth in city centers is outpacing that in the suburbs -- a reverse of the job growth trend in early 2000's. And the national trend is more pronounced in Portland: City center jobs are growing, while jobs in the suburbs are declining.

This centralized growth signals Portland's development into a city with a center for consumption -- civic, entertainment, goods and services -- and growth in entrepreneurship and knowledge-based industries. Mayor Charlie Hales is working to ensure that growth has positive repercussions by encouraging businesses to become benefit corporations, building public-private partnerships to address issues, and giving businesses incentives to uplift people, such as with "ban the box."

Mayor Tours Central Eastside Businesses

"Great local creativity is enlivening the neighborhood," Mayor Hales said.

"Strong local businesses help create the complete neighborhoods we're working to build. Last year Portland was awarded a C40 City Climate Leadership award for sustainable communities for its complete neighborhood efforts. But we're not finished. Among my priorities: Making all Portland neighborhoods livable for all Portlanders."

The job growth metric tracks non-farm employment in the Portland-Hillsboro-Vancouver metro area. The Portland Development Commission’s priorities include growing employment over five years. The chart is divided into the number of private and public sector jobs in the region, and percent job growth over time. See the chart: https://www.portlandoregon.gov/dashboard/article/513058

Lattice Semiconductor will move its headquarters from Hillsboro to Portland

TUESDAY, JAN. 27, 2015 — The Oregonian reports: "Lattice Semiconductor confirmed Monday that it has sold its Hillsboro headquarters and will move executive and administrative functions to downtown Portland early this year."

"This is great news for downtown Portland, whose bike parking, public transit, condos, food carts and local commerce have lured tech jobs from the suburbs to downtown," Mayor Hales said. "Another success in Portland's placemaking efforts, making our city a world-class example of livability."

Looptworks is a benefit corporation, a business that takes extra steps to benefit the community in its operations, such as the way Looptworks teaches adults with disabilities to prepare the materials for manufacturing. "I'm proud to have them in our city, and am working encourage more ‪Portland companies to become ‪benefit corporations," Mayor Hales says.

Smith Optics moves from Idaho to Southeast Portland

THURSDAY, JAN. 22 — The Oregonian reports that Smith Optics, an eyewear company, will move from its longtime home in Ketchum, Idaho, to Southeast Portland. Read the full story.

The move will occur in April, bringing 45 employees to the former Salvation Army building at 222 S.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. to establish the company's Pacific Coast Design Center. Smith Optics' parent company is Safilo Group of Italy.

Mayor to Washington Post: 'There are some really deep cultural roots to the character of Portland'

MONDAY, OCT. 20, 2014 -- The Washington Post column "Wonkblog" on Monday focused on Portland's success as a destination city -- one people move to because it's great, then find a job and make a life here.

Reporter Emily Badger interviewed Mayor Charlie Hales about Portland, and followed up with economist Joe Cortright on the facts of Portland's success:

Portland has contained urban sprawl with urban growth boundaries.

Unemployment rate for 25-to-34-year-olds with a college degree in metro Portland is 4.8 percent -- lower than it is in Chicago, Los Angeles, Atlanta or New York City.

Mayor Marks National Manufacturing Day at Benson High

FRIDAY, OCT. 3, 2014 -- Today is ‎National Manufacturing Day‬, when “more than 1,600 American manufacturers will open their doors and take up the important work of inspiring our young people to pursue careers in manufacturing and engineering,” reads President Barack Obama’s proclamation.

"National Manufacturing Day carries a special meaning in Portland, a city of makers," Mayor Charlie Hales said. "We brew beer. We make outdoor and athletic gear. We build everything from airplane parts to really tall bikes."

Standing before a group of about 50 students at Benson Polytechnic High School, Hales talked about his grandfather, who spent his career as an engraver at the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing, hand-engraving plates to print money. He couldn’t smoke or drink because he had to have the steadiest of hands. When he retired, his trick was tracing the outline of a dime and writing the entire Lord’s Prayer inside of it.

“I come from a family of makers,” Hales told the high school students. “That’s part of why I love Portland.”

The students today will visit several manufacturing companies to learn what they make and how they make it. In his proclamation, President Obama said such tours are an important part of a future of American manufacturing: “Today’s science, technology, engineering, and math graduates will power the next chapter of American production and innovation, and harnessing their potential is an economic imperative. When our manufacturing base is strong, our entire economy is strong. Today, we continue our work to bolster the industry at the heart of our Nation. With grit and resolve, we can create new jobs and widen the circle of opportunity for more Americans.”

Alaska Airlines Magazine Profiles Portland as City of Makers

THURSDAY, OCT. 2, 2014-- Alaska Airlines Magazine dedicated part of its October edition to delving into Portland's maker economy.

The magazine talked to 16 pages-worth of businesses and Portlanders, including First Lady Nancy Hales, painting a picture of a city that supports innovation and ideas. The profile starts on page 142 of this online magazine (click here).

"This is a stellar feature," Mayor Charlie Hales said. "It's a nice reminder of how fantastic our city really is."

PDC Names Winners of 2014 Startup PDX Challenge

THURSDAY, SEPT. 4, 2014 -- Six startup businesses have made the cut to win the second annual Startup PDX Challenge. This year’s Challenge focused on finding entrepreneurs with diverse founding teams and the ambition to scale to a national or international market. Each company will receive a package valued at $50,000, with a $15,000 working capital grant, a full year of rent-free office space at 115 SW Ash in Portland’s Old Town/Chinatown, and free professional advice, memberships and services.

In addition to the six winners, five companies have been named merit finalists and will each receive a package valued at $4,000.

The Challenge drew a field of 134 applicants, narrowed first to 19 semi-finalists and then to the six winners and five merit finalists by a selection committee which interviewed the representatives of each semi-finalist company. The winners represent both industry and demographic diversity. The full group encompasses developers of new consumer products, technology and services, and includes eight startups with women founders; five with African American founders; three with Asian founders; two with Native American founders; and one with Latino founders.

Patrick Quinton, PDC Executive Director, said, “We were thrilled with the response to this year’s call for diverse founding teams that will help us develop a more inclusive innovation community. We look forward to welcoming the winning entrepreneurs to our expanding network of experienced, innovative companies competing in the global economy.”

The six winners, all from the Portland metropolitan area, are Yellow Scope, a creator of rigorous science kits just for girls; RAFT Syrups, which brews organic botanical and cane sugar syrup for cocktails and home soda making; Society Nine, a fight gear and activewear apparel brand for women; NoAppFee.com, a technology solution to rental market problems for landlords and tenants; Design + Culture Lab, a research-based urban social lab addressing issues of cultural, racial and ethnic inequality; and Tique Box, a subscription service for specialty items from local artisans.

The journalists talked to incoming Portland business leaders, including representatives of SurveyMonkey, Squarepsace and Airbnb. Gino Zahnd, CEO of Cozy, commented on moving his employees to the Rose City, saying, “We give everyone the choice of San Francisco or Portland, and 100 percent choose Portland.”

Chris Harder of the Portland Development Commission also is quoted saying that the PDC – the city’s development arm – is holding conversations every month with tech companies coming from the Silicon Valley, San Francisco, Seattle, New York or Boston. “Right now, it’s just a flood,” Harder said.

Company That Makes iPad Sales System to Expand in Portland

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 27, 2014 – New York City-based ShopKeep, which makes an iPad-based point-of-sale system for small merchants, is the latest tech company to set up shop in Portland. The Portland Business Journal’s Malia Spencer says the company is moving into a downtown office at 421 S.W. Sixth Ave.

While the current staff includes an estimated 15 is working out of temporary offices in the Liberty Centre in the Lloyd District, the new permanent space can accommodate up to 100 people, said co-CEO Norm Merritt.

‘Jobs’ Are Focus of PDC Projects

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 27, 2014 – The focus is on jobs this week, as the Portland City Council hears a report on programs designed to lure, keep and expand employment within the city.

The council discussed funds of than $5.42 million in the budget of the Portland Development Commission – the city’s economic development arm. The money goes toward programs pegged to job creation and job retention.

“Nationally and internationally, the economic recovery has arrived. But not everyone in Portland is feeling it yet,” Mayor Charlie Hales said. “We talk a lot about ‘placemaking’ and, for many Portlanders, that means access to jobs. These proposals are designed to focus directly on Portlanders and jobs.”

Hales oversees the PDC as one of his bureaus within city government.

Among those testifying Wednesday was Michael DeMarco, program manager for Our 42nd Avenue Neighborhood Prosperity Initaitive organization. DeMarco said the organization's goals include local hiring and internships.

The City Council voted 4-0 to support the programs. Which include:

Neighborhood Economic Development: $3.38 million

This program includes:

A cluster of Neighborhood Commercial Corridors would receive a total of $863,000. This consists of five programs:

Main Street Network is a community-led revitalization program designed to stimulate neighborhood businesses. In June 2010, Portland designated Alberta, Hillsdale and St. Johns as its first three Main Street districts. The districts receive grants for district administration, property and sustainability improvements, and promotional events.

Neighborhood Prosperity Initiative focuses on six economically challenged business areas in East and outer Northeast Portland. In addition to ongoing technical assistance and training, the districts will be eligible for a district administration and operations grant, marketing, promotions and branding grants, and a property improvement grant.

For Venture Portland, an estimated $303,000 will go to support training, technical assistance, and small grants to Portland's neighborhood business district associations.

The proposal also calls for an estimated $994,000 in Small Business Support, which includes technical assistance for citywide small businesses, allowing the city to support delivery of services by qualified non-profit providers. The funds will be focused on stabilizing and growing small businesses with modest incomes; businesses located in economically challenged areas; and businesses whose owners may need services provided in languages other than English.

Finally, the proposal calls for more than $1.22 million for Neighborhood Economic Development, which is designed to assist low-income Portlanders through workforce development. All participants must have incomes of 50 percent or lower of the Portland-area median family income, and many recipients face barriers such as limited English, criminal histories, lack of housing, drug and alcohol addiction, and lack of education credentials.

Traded-Sector Job Creation and Retention: $2.04 million

This includes Cluster Developments worth an estimated $1.44 million to raise the city’s national and international profile in four target industries: clean technology; athletic and outdoor; advance manufacturing; and software. The goal is to help companies within those sectors retain and expand workforce, as well as strategic recruitment of firms into Portland and the region.

The proposal includes $444,000 for Entrepreneurship Support, a key program within the city to create high-paying jobs, support high-growth firms, commercialize local technologies and encourage broad economic development. This includes access to early stage capital, mentoring and produce development for local entrepreneurs and startups. The program also supports initiatives designed to align resources for women and minority entrepreneurs.

“Portlanders sometimes forget that there is a strong industrial sector in our economy,” Mayor Charlie Hales said. “This very-visible expansion, right here on Swan Island, is a good reminder that skills like welding and machining play key roles in the lives of working Portlanders.”

Vigor Industrial Adds Massive Dry Dock; Addition Will Create Jobs

FRIDAY, AUG. 22, 2014 – A massive floating dry dock will arrive at the Columbia River this weekend, carrying components that will be assembled and put to work on Swan Island this fall by Vigor Industrial. The company says it will be the largest such dry dock in the country.

Foti said the dry dock’s arrival means 130 people will work for several months on the two vessels in the queue at Swan Island, and those people "would not have worked" at Vigor if not for the dry dock, according to The Oregonian.

Frank Foti, Vigor president and chief executive officer, met with Mayor Charlie Hales and staff from the Mayor's Office and Portland Development Commission, earlier this summer, to outline the company’s plans to expand and to draw even larger ships to Swan Island for repairs.

“Portlanders sometimes forget that there is a strong industrial sector in our economy,” Hales said. “This very-visible expansion, right here on Swan Island, is a good reminder that skills like welding and machining play key roles in the lives of working Portlanders.”

The $40 million dry dock is called The Vigorous and was constructed in China.

Startup PDX Challenge semi-finalists named; public vote begins

The Portland Development Commission has narrowed a field of 134 Startup PDX Challenge applicants from the United States and Canada to 19 semi-finalists in Portland’s search for startups with diverse founding teams and the ambition to scale to a national or international market.

Up to six for-profit startup businesses will receive a package valued at $50,000 per company with a $15,000 working capital grant, a full year of rent-free office space at 115 SW Ash in Portland’s Old Town/Chinatown, and free professional advice, memberships and services. Up to four more startups will be named merit finalists and will receive a package valued at $4,000 per company.

Daimler Breaks Ground on Portland Headquarters Building

FRIDAY, JULY 18, 2014 – Mayor Charlie Hales and Gov. John Kitzhaber were on hand Friday for the ceremonial groundbreaking of the $150 million Daimler Trucks North America headquarters on Swan Island.

Martin Daum, president and CEO of Daimler Trucks North America, spoke about the choice of Portland for the expanded facility.

In 2012, Daimler and Western Star Trucks purchased $135 million from Oregon vendors and suppliers. Daimler also supports area high schools, the Oregon Food Bank, the United Way and the Washington Park Summer Concert Series.

A 265,000 square-foot building will bring together Daimler operations now scattered across several offices and will allow for growth. Daimler plans to add another 400 employees to its Portland work force.

The project also includes opening a greenway trail along the Willamette River and construction of a parking garage. The company has partnered with Ankrom Moisan for the architectural design and Hoffman Corporation for construction.

FRIDAY, JULY 18, 2014 — At Happy Cup Coffee Company in City Hall one afternoon, barista Caitlin Lawson coached Keyona, 28, through the register, checking out an iced coffee order.

Happy Cup — with its coffee roasting operation and two café locations — is a program through Full Life, an organization that employs developmentally disabled adults like Keyona who want to work for minimum wage or better with benefits, job counseling, and other services. Full Life was founded 12 years ago by a woman who championed opportunities for disabled adults.

“It’s fun,” says Keyona, who has worked with Full Life for seven years. “I get to work with different people. It gives me a different outlook and perspective on life.”

The city has supported Happy Cup’s mission, helping it into the City Hall location and into a Northeast Portland space near the Portland Police Bureau’s North Precinct.

In addition to existing policies and advocacy at the city, state and federal level, Hales is supporting Shriver Report’s call for city leaders to be “architects of change,” encouraging policies that support women and families through education, involvement and outreach.

“Happy Cup embodies Portland’s progressive values,” says Hales, who visits the City Hall café for coffee and salads. “We’re a city that cares for its people, and we put our progressive values into practice.”

The mayor has thrown his support behind the “city-festo” as another step in overcoming historical inequities to make the city more livable for everyone.

“Portland is a deliberately family-friendly city,” Hales says. “We’re continuing to work to make sure every resident lives in a complete neighborhood, with parks full of amenities, streets and sidewalks in good repair, and equal opportunities for successful futures.”

The “city-festo” calls for an informed community, 100 percent voter registration, and education, encouraging city officials to teach equity through leadership, policies and practices.

Likewise, the city has made progress through Commissioner Amanda Fritz’s citywide paid sick leave policy; sick leave was the No. 1 policy that women who were surveyed said they needed from their city. Shriver told Hales that Portland’s policy is an exemplar for cities nationwide.

Through Black Male Achievement, Hales led community leaders in collaboratively developing programs to support young, African-American men, who disproportionately experience high incarceration, dropout and unemployment rates. SummerWorks, whose second-largest funder is the city, finds summer internships for at-risk teenagers, helping them stay on the right track. City Hall this year hired 100 interns.

Hales, through the U.S. Conference of Mayors, has advocated for comprehensive immigration reform at the federal level. At the state level, the city has advocated for statewide sick leave, affordable housing non-discrimination legislation, tuition equity, and for funding pilot programs to build of Portland Community College’s successful Future Connect scholarship program, which seeks to eliminate financial barriers to college. Last year the City Council passed two affordable housing policies that were key to preserving affordable housing units in Portland. One continued a tax abatement program to create an incentive for developers to build affordable housing, and another clarified that affordable housing on city property is tax-exempt.

And the city supports businesses like Happy Cup.

“Happy Cup establishes challenges that not every service job gives you,” says Lawson, the barista. “The relationships we build with Full Life clients make the job so much more fulfilling.”

“The ‘city-festo’ is a great list of goals that Portland is capable of achieving,” Hales says. “We’ve made tremendous progress over the last year-and-a-half. Now it’s time to focus our energies on making this city truly equitable for all genders, all races, all sexual orientations — all citizens.”

TUESDAY, JULY 1, 2014 — City, county and federal partners today at the Portland Building kicked off the SummerWorks program’s sixth year placing young people in summer jobs.

Mayor Charlie Hales, Sen. Ron Wyden, and Multnomah County Commissioner Loretta Smith praised the program for helping teens and young adults gain the work experience that is critical to their long-term success.

SummerWorks, a program through Worksystems Inc., since 2009 has placed 2,617 young people, ages 16 to 21, in summer jobs. The program emphasizes under-represented youth who face challenges such as growing up in poverty or at risk of dropping out of high school.

“We’ve been able to grow this program at Multnomah County since 2011 from 25 young men and women to 125 this year,” says Smith, who will accept an award July 13 on the program’s behalf at the National Association of Counties’ annual convention. “This program works because it connects young people with quality jobs at good pay and provides the skills they need to make their lives better now and in the future.”

The program formed in response to a persistent youth unemployment problem in Oregon; 36,000 young people are both out of school and out or work in the Portland metro area. Last year only about 25 percent of people 16 to 19 years old had a job. For young African-American men, that figure was only 12 percent.

Hales has prioritized working with public and private partners to build a more robust internship system to connect Portland students to the local workforce, and is particularly focused on ameliorating disparities in education, work and family outcomes for African-American men.

“There are several ways we as a community have failed the African American youth — education, employment, incarceration rates,” Hales says. “These internships help level the playing field in a key performance measure, employment. This program provides a leg up. It’s a small step, but a good one.”

Nearly 60 percent of SummerWorks’ funding comes from the city of Portland, Multnomah County, and Worksystems Inc., which is funded in part by the U.S. Department of Labor. Last year, Worksystems contributed $222,169 to the program; the city of Portland $188,071; and Multnomah County $173,475.

“The SummerWorks program is an indispensable tool in training the next generation of productive workers, in breaking the cycle of poverty, and in teaching young people the value of work and the self-esteem that comes with it,” Sen. Wyden says. “This program is the gold standard for demonstrating to the rest of the country that local governments and the federal government can come together with local nonprofits and private enterprise to find good jobs for young people who want to work and want to contribute to their community.”

Family behind Orox Leather artisan goods used PDC assistance to open 1st store, workshop in Old Town

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 2, 2013 — After many years making sandals out of a garage and selling at Saturday Market, Orox Leather Co. moved into Old Town in December 2012, and celebrated its first bricks-and-mortar store with a grand opening party on August 1, 2013.

Aug 28, 2014 at 12:25 PM

Portland Connects with Sister City Guadalajara on Both Sides of the Border

THURSDAY, AUG. 28, 2014 — Mayor Charlie Hales this week talked livable cities with a delegation of business and government officials visiting from Guadalajara, Mexico — less than a week after Portland Fire & Rescue made its own splash in the sister city.

Since 1983, Portland has maintained the sister city relationship with Guadalajara through cultural, educational and economic exchanges. The delegation’s trip to Portland lays the groundwork for stronger ties — e.g. a new air service scheduled to start in October. Volaris Airlines will provide a direct air service between the two cities.

This week the delegation — including officials from the city, as well as from the state of Jalisco and from businesses such as Mundo Cuervo, the distillery that makes Jose Cuervo — toured Portland’s sustainable features and met with local businesses. The group was interested in learning about Portland’s best practices to advance the livable city movement.

“These relationships are so important,” Mayor Hales said. “Maintaining ties for over three decades makes both cities richer in culture, trade and education.”

Before Portland Fire started training and equipment donation with Guadalajara 15 years ago, the city had four stations serving 1.5 million people; Portland has 30 stations for 600,000 people. Now Guadalajara has 17 stations across the city, allowing firefighters to respond to calls within 5 minutes instead of up to 45 minutes.

“This makes a huge difference for them,” said Portland Fire & Rescue Lt. Joe Troncosso. “The only way to keep those stations is with equipment.

“These trucks started on the front lines here; then they were back-up; then they sat unused in the lot. Now, they’re back on the front lines again, doing what they’re supposed to: save lives.”